When Irene Falcone read a body lotion bottle and realised she didn’t understand any of the words, she knew something needed to change. Find out more about how she began Nourished Life in 2012 after quitting her job, selling her house and car and renting a tiny warehouse.
The passion: What inspired you to set up your business?
It really came about because of the simple fact that I was just exhausted all the time and was really struggling with simple daily tasks. There was this one particular day when I realised there could be a link between how sluggish I was feeling and the dozens of beauty products I was piling on my body each day to try and disguise how tired I was. I remember actually sitting down on the stairs up to my office and reading the label of a body lotion for the first time… I did not understand a single word on the ingredients list. That really woke me up and from then on, I basically became obsessed with finding natural alternatives to my everyday mainstream products.
The launch: How did you start out in the beginning?
I actually started out by blogging about my natural product discoveries and favourite finds, but it all changed when I decided to start selling lip balms through my blog. I bought $100 worth and sold them all, and before I knew it, I had started up an online store.
The innovation: What was the biggest breakthrough for you with your business?
When I finally quit my job in 2012, it all became real. I sold my house and my car and rented a tiny warehouse. I did not look back once, I was all in, and I knew I was exactly where I needed to be.
Yin and Yang: How do you balance work and family?
It’s a constant struggle, but a massive benefit of having started my own business is that I have been able to get to more of my children’s school events. I have had to work longer hours than ever before, though, but the main thing is that I can adjust my own hours. I can get out to the school for the afternoon pickup and then get back onto my laptop after the kids have gone to bed.
